Cheers & Jeers

Cheers: to pennies from heaven. Who would have thought the now-defunct piece of currency could so enrich the lives of troubled women and their children in the St. John’s area? The Telegram’s Warm Hearts campaign for victims of domestic abuse wrapped up last week after exceeding initial targets. On Friday, the final tally came in: $9,207 and change. That doesn’t include proceeds from February’s charity concert, as well as vanloads of clothing and other supplies. Sadly, the need for Iris Kirby House has not dwindled since its late founder first opened the shelter in 1981. But public attitudes have changed. To all those who contributed this year, give yourselves a pat on the back. You deserve it.

Jeers: to just hearing the news. Premier Kathy Dunderdale may sometimes wish she could un-say certain remarks she makes in public — like when she told reporters Thursday, “It’s news to me that anybody predicted that in 2014-2015 that we’d be back in the black.” Perhaps Tom Marshall wishes she could un-say it, too, because Marshall was finance minister in April 2012 when he predicted the province would experience a $44-million budget surplus in 2014-2015. Oh, well. It’s a sign of how volatile provincial finances are that deficits and surpluses seem so hard to pinpoint. Chalk it up to the roller-coaster of world oil prices. Still … that un-saying thing would sure come in handy sometimes.

Cheers: to taking the pressure off. Telegram readers responded quickly to a story by Josh Pennell Friday on a new approach to the school prom dilemma. And the verdict was unanimous: two thumbs up to the graduating class of Bishops College in St. John’s for their initiative to make sure nobody gets left out on prom night. Prom Closet was spearheaded by teacher Joanne Mercer, who started collecting a wardrobe so that female students facing financial barriers could still wear quality dresses at graduation activities. Parents are thrilled. “It’s costing some families more to outfit a girl for prom than a wedding,” one commented online. Anyone who wants to donate a dress can drop it off at the school at 190 Pennywell Rd. And you can expect other schools to follow suit — if they haven’t already.

Jeers: to the incorrigible Mr. Rob Ford. Toronto’s controversial mayor (has Toronto ever not had a controversial mayor?) is at it again. He recently appeared on the Sun News Network and talked about all the kids at his old high school who belonged to gangs or came from broken homes. Not surprisingly, the staff and parents were furious. Ford was just trying to point out how he feels he’s giving back to his alma mater by coaching football there. Perhaps he should have left out some of the inner-city drama. And if that wasn’t enough, a former mayoral candidate said last week the mayor groped her during a party fundraiser. “He grabbed my ass,” Sarah Thomson reportedly told another friend. There were no witnesses. The mayor denies it. Toronto the Good? Good grief!